Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a severe corneal disease that was reported by WHO as the second most common infectious cause of blindness after trachoma; contact lens wear is considered one of the main risk factors in its transmission. Thus, the treatment of AK is crucial but, the inability of medical agents to completely eradicate the resistant cyst, together with their toxic effects, suggest that new agents are needed. Vinegar has been known long ago as a simple and available disinfectant with antimicrobial effects, so the present study aimed to test the effect of different concentrations of vinegar solution on Acanthamoeba astronyxis isolate, along the period of 1 h in comparison to parasite and chlorhexidine controls. Post hoc test analysis revealed a highly significant difference between the vinegar-treated parasites and both controls, as regards the viable and non-viable mean cysts count. Vinegar concentration of 5% exhibited the highest mean of non-viable cysts along the time intervals, while the lowest was shown with 0.04% where also, no viable cysts were detected at 60 min. All tested concentrations behaved in a time-dependent manner. There was a positive correlation with a significant outcome between the different concentrations and the mean of the non-viable parasites along time. Transmission electron microscopy of treated cysts revealed corrugated altered cell wall with loss of ridges and detachment and shrinkage of content. Treated trophozoites showed flattening of the acanthopodia with thinned out plasma membrane and degenerated cytoplasmic content. The study highlighted the potential use of vinegar as an adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of AK.
Keywords: Acanthamoeba astronyxis; Chlorohexidine; Contact lenses; Cysts; Disinfectant; Trophozoites; Ultrastructure; Vinegar.